<h2><SPAN name="CHAPTER_XXIX">CHAPTER XXIX. <br/><span class="cheaderfont">WARLIKE SPORTS.</span></SPAN></h2>
<p>When Meri and Wal Jessop reached the village the
chief explained to his followers how the white men
had recognised their friend, and the natives were
excited at such an unlooked-for occurrence. A
stretcher was quickly made of long poles and
matting, and, accompanied by four stalwart natives,
Wal Jessop and Meri returned to the Sing-Sing
ground where they had left Edgar and Captain Manton.
They carefully carried Manton to the village,
and Wal Jessop went out to the schooner to obtain
drugs from the medicine chest.</p>
<p>In the course of a few days Captain Manton was
much better, and eager to be gone from the island.
The chief and the natives, however, seemed loath to
part with him, and Edgar thought there might be
some trouble in getting him away. To make matters
easier they presented Meri and most of the natives—men,
women, and children—with gifts of beads, cloth,
and small ornaments. It amused them to watch the
women adorning their persons with bright red and
yellow cloths, and they were particularly delighted
some with the strings of bright-coloured beads.</p>
<p>Edgar noticed the natives, even when going to
walk in the plantations, were armed, and Meri said
they were always at war with one or more of the<span class="pagenum">[270]</span>
neighbouring tribes. Even the women and children
were armed, and it was surprising with what accuracy
of aim the smallest lads could shoot their arrows.
These natives were all fond of sports, and spent the
greater part of their time practising with the various
weapons they used.</p>
<p>Meri, at Edgar’s request, ordered some native
sports to take place; and the men, nothing loath, prepared
for them in a very short time. Wal Jessop
promised the most successful should have prizes
given them, selected from the stock of trade goods
on board the schooner.</p>
<p>Spear-throwing was first undertaken, and the
natives aimed with wonderful skill, far better than
the Enooma blacks. They hurled their spears with
terrific force, and often buried them six inches deep
in the trunk of a tree the wood of which was almost
as hard as iron. Smooth stones were piled up on the
beach, and the natives, using slings, whirled them out
to sea for such a long distance that the splash made
when they fell could hardly be seen. Club-swinging
they were clever at, and an attack with clubs, warded
off by wooden shields, made Edgar fearful for the
result, so furious and excited did the combatants
become.</p>
<p>The boys and girls, all naked, ran races on the
clear white sand, and swam out to sea in the most
daring manner. One lad, a son of the chief, shot his
arrow through Meri’s fingers as he spread the back of
his hand out wide against a tree. The girls were<span class="pagenum">[271]</span>
quite as active as the boys, and ran as fast, and swam
as well. These youngsters had very little fear in
them, and even a shark near the shore did not
frighten them, for the lads would swim out with
spears in their hands and attack the monsters.</p>
<p>The canoe-races caused much excitement, and the
chief, Meri, paddled dexterously—in fact, he was
superior to the others in most of the sports.</p>
<p>Edgar was much interested in watching the natives
build a canoe. A tree was felled, and the branches
cut off. Then, for a common fishing canoe, the log
was hollowed out about fifteen feet long, and a
rough canoe was soon formed. The better-built
canoes were made of separate planks raised from
the keel, and laid on in pieces from twenty-five to
fifty feet long. Gum of the bread-fruit tree was
used instead of pitch, and smeared over to make
them water-tight. The inside and outside were
smoothed, and when finished the canoe looked a
creditable craft.</p>
<p>Although Edgar enjoyed the experiences he was
going through at Tana, he was anxious to get away
now Captain Manton had been discovered; but the
chief always made some excuse for detaining them,
and Wal Jessop said it would be safer to obtain his
permission to leave. Captain Manton was also in a
hurry to depart, and once more get to sea. Wal
Jessop gave Meri to understand that it was necessary
for them to leave, and the chief said he would
consider the matter.</p>
<p><span class="pagenum">[272]</span></p>
<p>A meeting was held under the banyan tree in the
marum, and the three friends looked on, much
interested in the proceedings.</p>
<p>Wal Jessop gathered that there was considerable
opposition to Captain Manton’s departure, and that
the chief did not care to resist the will of the natives.
When the meeting was over, Meri said his people were
not willing that Captain Manton should go with Edgar
and Wal.</p>
<p>To this Wal Jessop made no reply, but after consulting
Edgar and Captain Manton, it was arranged
they should make a bolt for it at night, seize one of
the canoes, and row back to the schooner.</p>
<p>Wal Jessop went to the schooner to give instructions
for all to be ready for sailing immediately they
were on board.</p>
<p>Towards evening, when the natives were returning
from the plantation, there was a great row amongst
them. They came forward shouting, dancing, and
gesticulating, and in their midst was a poor wretched
native, almost ready to drop with fright. Meri’s men
had kidnapped this man, who belonged to another
tribe, and he knew, poor wretch! the fate in store for
him.</p>
<p>‘What will they do with that poor beggar?’ said
Edgar.</p>
<p>‘Eat him probably,’ said Wal Jessop with a
shudder. ‘The natives here are cannibals.’</p>
<p>‘Horrible!’ said Edgar. ‘Can we do nothing to
prevent it?’</p>
<p><span class="pagenum">[273]</span></p>
<p>‘I am afraid not,’ said Wal. ‘I will remonstrate
with the chief, but it will be all to no purpose. All
we can do is to take advantage of their absence
when the poor wretch is killed, and make for the
schooner.’</p>
<p>‘Speak to Meri,’ said Edgar. ‘We ought to stop
it if we can.’</p>
<p>Wal Jessop went to the chief, who acknowledged it
was the custom to kill and eat prisoners of another
tribe. Wal then tried to buy the wretch off, but the
chief was firm. He could not interfere with the custom
of the tribe.</p>
<p>That night a large fire was lighted in the marum,
and they could see the flames flashing in the darkness.</p>
<p>They shuddered as they thought of what was
about to take place; but as they were powerless
to interfere they determined to steal away to the
schooner.</p>
<p>Cautiously they went down to the beach and
secured a canoe. Captain Manton sat in the bow,
where there was a seat for the chief, and Wal and
Edgar paddled.</p>
<p>Before they were half-way to the schooner the
natives saw them, and, uttering loud cries, ran down
to the beach. A large canoe was quickly launched,
Meri took his place in the bow, and the pursuit commenced.</p>
<p>‘They will overhaul us before we reach the schooner,’
said Wal. ‘Our only plan is to frighten them. We<span class="pagenum">[274]</span>
have our rifles. You must send a bullet or two in
their direction, Edgar. Do not harm anyone if you
can help it, but strike the canoe somewhere near the
chief. It will give him a shock, and may hinder the
pursuit.’</p>
<p>The natives were fast nearing them, their canoe
skimming along the water with wonderful swiftness.
Meri stood up in the bow, spear in hand, and signalled
them to stop. His dark figure was plainly seen in
the moonlight which covered the sea with a soft,
silvery glow.</p>
<p>Edgar put down his paddle and took up his rifle,
which he levelled at the chief.</p>
<p>Meri saw him, but did not flinch. He turned to his
men and urged them on.</p>
<p>Edgar took aim and fired at the bow of the canoe.
It was a lucky shot, for just as he fired the bow of the
canoe rose slightly, and the bullet splintered the wood
under Meri’s feet.</p>
<p>This caused the chief to spring backwards, and in
so doing he stumbled and fell into the water. The
natives at once ceased rowing, and assisted him to get
into the canoe.</p>
<p>Edgar, as soon as he had fired the shot, put down
the rifle and grasped the paddle. They gained on
the canoe again, and reached the schooner before
the natives. Captain Manton was assisted into the
schooner, and Edgar and Wal quickly followed,
taking good care to throw their rifles to the men on
deck.</p>
<p><span class="pagenum">[275]</span></p>
<p>Everything was ready for sailing immediately, but
before the schooner could get under way the canoe,
full of natives, was alongside.</p>
<p>Meri was about to spring on the schooner when
Edgar levelled his rifle at him, and Wal Jessop
shouted:</p>
<p>‘Get back, or we shall fire. We want to leave
peaceably. Go back to your island. You have had
many presents from us.’</p>
<p>The chief said they wanted their white man back,
and meant to have him.</p>
<p>‘Then you must look out for a row,’ said Wal.</p>
<p>The schooner was now under sail, and although
there was but little breeze, she made headway. Seeing
the schooner gliding away, the chief gave some
order to his men, who stood up and hurled their spears
at those on deck.</p>
<p>‘Lie flat down,’ shouted Wal, who saw their intention;
and they all fell on the deck. The spears
whistled harmlessly over them, one or two striking the
mast.</p>
<p>‘Give me the gun; I’ll give them a dose of shot for
that,’ said Edgar.</p>
<p>Wal Jessop handed him a gun, and Edgar fired it
at the canoe. The shot told, and one or two of the
natives were hit, but not severely. This had the
desired effect, and, seeing pursuit was both hopeless
and dangerous, the chief ordered them to paddle back
to the island.</p>
<p>The travellers were all glad to get safely away from<span class="pagenum">[276]</span>
Tana, and decided to sail direct to Sydney, as there
was an ample supply of food on board. Captain
Manton seemed to recover every day at sea, and
both Edgar and Wal Jessop did all in their power
to cheer him and make him forget what he had
suffered.</p>
<p>The voyage back to Sydney was uneventful, and
the little schooner entered the Heads sooner than was
expected, and cast anchor in Watson’s Bay.</p>
<p>Captain Manton, as they neared the Heads, had
looked long at the fatal rocks where the <em>Distant Shore</em>
went to pieces, and the tears stood in his eyes as he
thought of that awful night.</p>
<p>When they were in the smooth waters of the
harbour, and snugly at anchor in Watson’s Bay, his
spirits revived at the prospect of meeting his daughter
again.</p>
<p>He wondered if she would know him, for he was
much altered, and she was a little child when last he
saw her on that fatal night.</p>
<p>‘I am sure she will recognise you,’ said Edgar;
‘you look much more like your old self now. When
we found you at Tana you were a different man.’</p>
<p>They landed at the jetty, and walked up to Wal
Jessop’s cottage.</p>
<p>‘We shall give them a surprise,’ said Edgar.</p>
<p>‘A pleasant one,’ said Wal.</p>
<p>Captain Manton’s heart beat fast as he walked up
the familiar road, and hastened to meet the daughter
he had thought he would never see again.</p>
<p><span class="pagenum">[277]</span></p>
<p>‘Perhaps it will be better for me to go on first,’ said
Wal, ‘and prepare her. The sudden joy may be too
much for Eva.’</p>
<p>They agreed, and Wal walked on. He reached
the cottage door, and knocked. His wife opened it,
and gave a cry of joy as she saw him. After a hearty
embrace, she said anxiously:</p>
<p>‘Where is Edgar? Is he well?’</p>
<p>‘Never better,’ said Wal. ‘Where’s Eva?’</p>
<p>Eva heard them talking, and came running into
the room. She rushed into Wal’s outstretched arms,
and he kissed her tenderly.</p>
<p>‘Edgar has come back,’ said Wal, ‘and someone
else—someone you love best in all the world.’</p>
<p>‘Daddy?’ said Eva excitedly.</p>
<p>‘Yes,’ said Wal, looking from her to his wife;
‘daddy has come back.’</p>
<p>He heard footsteps outside, and said:</p>
<p>‘And here he is, with Edgar.’</p>
<p>Captain Manton came into the room. Eva looked
at him for a few moments, evidently in doubt.</p>
<p>‘Eva, my child, my little one, don’t you know me?
Come to my arms, my pet; come to daddy again.’</p>
<p>‘It is my daddy!’ said Eva, with a joyful cry, as
she flew to him. ‘Eddy said he would come back.
I shall never let him go away again—never, never,
never!’</p>
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<p><span class="pagenum">[278]</span></p>
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